Cigar or cigarette case combined with a pocket lighter



Feb, 18, 1941. J L N I 2,232,334

CIGAR 0R C1GARETTE CASE COMBINED WITH A POCKET LIGHTER JmeZ'Z invajga- Feb. 18, 1 941. J. MELLANA CIQAR 0R CIGARETTE CASE COMBINED WITH A POCKET LIGHTER Filed Jan. 16, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 18, 1941. J MELLANA 2,232,334

CIGAR OR CIGARETTE CAYSE COMBINED WITH A POCKET LIGHTER Filed Jan. 16, 1939 '3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I7: weak,

Patented F eb. 18, 1941 2 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE Jules Mellana, Sainte-Croix, Switzerland, assignor to the firm Hermann Thorens Societe Anonyme, Sainte-Croix, Switzerland, a firm of Switzerland Application January 16, 1939, Serial No. 251,268 In Switzerland January 27, 1938 9 Claims.

This invention relates to cigar or cigarette cases combined with a pocket lighter and more particularly to cases provided with an operating organ for opening the case as well as for actuating" the 5" lighter.

The object of the invention is the provision of a case of the above type, comprising an operating organ which can be actuated from outside the case and which can be moved in two difier'ent directions, in a first for effecting the opening of the case, and in a second for efiecting the working of the lighter.

It is another object of the invention to provide locking means on said operating organ for pre venting an accidental actuating of the lighter in the pocket, for instance.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a pocket lighter which is detachably mounted on the case so as to be disconnected from the operating organ and from the case.

The accompanying drawings represent two preferred embodiments of the invention.

Figures 1 to 5 concern the first embodiment, Figure 1 showing it closed and Figure 2 opened.

Figures 3 and 4 show details thereof, drawn to a greater scale, and Figure 5 is a section along 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figures 6 to 8 concern the second embodiment.

I I Figures 6 and '7 showing it open in two difierent positions. Figure 8 refers to a detail.

The embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 500mprises a shell l hinged with the shell 2 in which a lighter 3 is detachably mounted and'which presents a recess 4 for the cigarettes to be slipped behind the strip 5.

The bottom of the lighter is provided with a transversal groove 6 of dovetail shaped cross section, which can be engaged on a projection 'l of I I corresponding shape rigidly carried by the shell I 40 of the case. 8 is a lever journalled with its median portion on the body of the lighter. This lighter presents furthermore a wick 9, a cap III, a friction wheel I against which a stone of ferrocerium I2 is pressed, and a spring I 3 which is constantly tending to lift the cap, which would effect the rotation of the friction wheel I l; in that case this wheel generates by the friction with the stone I2 sparks which fall on the wick 9Q In normal position the cap ID is kept closed due to a heel I4 provided thereon which abuts against a nose Iiiv of the lever 8 which is submitted to the action of the spring I 3 tending to maintain the lever in the position shown in Fig. 3.

i6 is an operating organ disposed in an open ing ll of the raised border of the shell I, and

thereon a latch 19 having the shape of an L is rotatably mounted in} It. This operating organ is kept in the position shown in Fig. 3 by a spring 20 and is connected with the upper end of the lever 8 of the lighter by a bar 2| ending in a 5 hook 2 2.

In Figures 3 and 5 the lighter and the case, respectively, are closed. In order to open the case, it will be sufiicient to press the operating organ l6 inwardly against the spring 20. The lateral l0 nose 23 of this organ (see Fig. 5) will thus be moved downwardly for releasing the two shells from their closing position. For actuating the lighter the latch ['9 is moved from its locking position shown in Fig. 3 into unlocking position shown 15 in Fig. 4. In the locking position the big leg of the latch is applied against the upper face of the operating organ l6, while the small leg abuts against an'edge, at the opening I! in the raised border of the shell I, the latch being kept in this 20 looking position by the action of the spring 2% which presses on the lower end of the small leg. In unlocking position the big leg of the latch projects beyond the operating organ while the small leg is now placed at the external side of the 5 Wall of the case. If you press with a finger against the left face of the big leg (Fig. 4), the operating organ l6 slides from the left to the right and a traction is thus exerted by .the hook '22 upon the upper end of the lever 8, wherethrough the nose 30 15 of the latter disengages the heel 14 of the cap which opens. I,

The latch I9 is a substantial part of the operating organ l6 and hingedly mounted on said organ. In consequence, organ l6 and latch iii are to be 35 pushed down as a whole against the spring 20, and further, in the position of Fig. 4 they are to be slid as a whole from the left to the right when pressing with a finger against the left face of the big leg of the latch. It is to be seen, therefore, that the latch is not in the way for pushing down the organ l6, and moreover, to slide said organ it is not necessary to engage the organ itself as the big leg of the latch l9 which then projects beyond 45 said organ serves asa handle to efiect the sliding.

The case, therefore, can always be opened, but the lighter cannot be operated as long as the latch l9 has not been moved against the action of the spring 20 into unlocking position. In this way an 5 accidental actuating of the lighter in the pocket is prevented. 0n the other hand, with the latch l9 once put into unlocking position, the lighter can be actuatedwhilst the case is open or closed. If it is open, the lighter can besides be operated 55 by pressing with a finger on the lower end of the lever 8.

The embodiment shown in Figures 6 to 8 comprises a lighter 21 and an operating organ l6 similar to those above described. This case presents a band 24 on each of the rims of which is hinged a shell 25, respectively 26. The lighter 21 disposed between the shells is fixed in a detachable manner with the bottom of its body to the band 24; for that purpose this bottom is provided with a longitudinal dovetailed groove 28, to be engaged by a corresponding projection 29 slipped therein and which is fixed to the band and longitudinally slotted in 30 in a way to create a certain elasticity. The case can be put up like a stand as shown in Fig. 7, the lighter being in that case disposed upright on the band, ready for use independently from the organ I6.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a case for cigarettes or the like of a pocket lighter, lighter actuating means carried by said lighter, and an operating organ movably mounted on said case, being in mechanical connection with said lighter actuating means, and being operable from outside the case for movements in two different directions, in one for effecting the opening of the case and in another for actuating the lighter, and control means mounted on said operating organ and movable into two positions, one which permits the opening of the case while preventing the actuation of the lighter and the second in which the operation of the lighter is efiected separately.

2. In combination with a case for cigarettes or the like of a pocket lighter, lighter actuating means carried by said lighter, an operating organ movably mounted on said case, being in mechanical connection with said lighter actuating means, and being operable from outside the case for movements in two difierent directions, in one for eilecting the opening of the case and in another for actuating the lighter, and a latch rotatably mounted on said operating organ so as to take two stopping positions, a locking one wherein it abuts against a relatively stationary part of the case for permitting said first mentioned movement, while preventing the second movement, and an unlocking position for permitting the second movement only.

3. In combination with a case for cigarettes or the like of a pocket lighter, lighter actuating means carried by said lighter, an operating organ movably mounted on said case and being in mechanical connection with said lighter actuating means, a spring means resiliently applied against said operating organ, said organ being pushable inwardly from outside the case against the action of said spring means for effecting the opening of the case, and a latch rotatably mounted on said operating organ so as to take two stopping positions, a locking one wherein it abuts against a relatively stationary part of the case for permitting only said pushing movement with the operating organ, and an unlocking position for permitting only a sliding movement of the operating organ along a relatively stationary part of the case, in a direction different from that one of the pushing movement, for actuating the lighter.

4.In combination with a case for cigarettes or the like of a pocket lighter, lighter actuating means carried by said lighter, an operating organ movably mounted in an opening of the wall of the case, being in mechanical connection with said lighter actuating means, and being operable from outside the case for movements in two different directions, in one for effecting the opening of the case and in another for actuating the lighter, and a latch formed of two legs in the shape of an L, rotatably mounted on said operating organ so as to take two stopping positions, a locking one wherein one of said legs abuts against an edge of the wall of the case at said opening, while the other leg is applied to the operating organ, for permitting only said first mentioned movement, and an unlocking position wherein the first of said legs is placed at the external side of the wall of the case, while the second is projecting beyond said operating organ, for permitting only the second mentioned movement of said organ.

5. In combination with a case for cigarettes or the like of a pocket lighter, lighter actuating means carried by said lighter, an operating organ movably mounted in an opening of the wall of the case and being in mechanical connection with said lighter actuating means, a spring means resiliently applied against said operating organ, said organ being pushable inwardly from outside the case against the action of said spring means for effecting the opening of the case, and a latch formed of two legs in the shape of an L, rotatably mounted on said organ so as to take two stopping positions, a locking one wherein one of said two legs abuts against an edge of the Wall of the case at said opening and is engaged by said spring means for maintaining it in this position, while the other leg is applied to the operating organ, and an unlocking position wherein the first of said legs is placed at the external side of the wall of the case, while the second is projecting beyond said operating organ, for permitting only a sliding movement of the operating organ along a part of the wall of the case for actuating the lighter.

6. In combination with a case for cigarettes or the like of a pocket lighter, a spring controlled lighter actuating lever journalled in its median portion on the body of the lighter, and an operating organ movably mounted on said case, being in mechanical connection with one end of said lever and being operable from outside the case for movements in two different directions, in one for effecting the opening of the case andin another for moving said lever against the action of said controlling spring to actuate the lighter, said lever being at its other end also directly operably by hand.

7. In combination with a case for cigarettes or the like constituted by a band and two shells each hingedly mounted on a rim of said band, of a pocket lighter disposed inside the case between said shells and mounted in a detachable manner with the bottom of its body on said band, lighter actuating means carried by said lighter, and an operating organ movably mounted on said case, being in mechanical connection with said lighter actuating means, and being operable from outside the case for movements in two directions, in one for eifecting the opening of the case and in another for actuating the lighter.

8. In combination with a case for cigarettes or the like constituted by a band and two shells each hingedly mounted on a rim of said band, of a pocket lighter disposed inside the case between the two shells, a longitudinal projection rigidly carried by said band, respectively by the bottom of the body of said lighter, a longitudinal groove provided in the bottom of the lighter body, respectively in said band, for engaging said projection slipped therein, lighter actuating means carried by said lighter, and an operating organ movably mounted on said case, being in mechanical connection with said lighter actuating means, and being operable from outside the case for movements in two directions, in one for effecting the opening of the case and in another for actuating the lighter.

9. In combination with the case for cigarettes or the like constituted by a band and two shells each hingedly mounted on a rim of said band, of a pocket lighter disposed inside the case between the two shells, a longitudinal projection rigidly carried by said band, respectively by the bottom of the body of said. lighter, said projection being slotted in a way to be elastic, a longitudinal groove provided in the bottom of the lighter body, respectively in said band, for engaging said projection slipped therein, lighter actuating means carried by said lighter, and an operating organ movably mounted on said case, being in mechanical connection with said lighter actuating means, and being operable from outside the case for movements in two directions, in one for eifecting the opening of the case and in another for actuating,

the lighter.

JULES MELLANA. 

